The Arkansaw traveler., 1887-12-10

gratitude. They were asked then to disbelieve their own eyes-their col lective eyes. It was too much. This was what was plainly visible on every face as they withdrew. As Mrs. Gen. eral Bruce was departing last of all, and trife more "huffily" than the others, said: "You should allow MT. Cunningham to have an opinion, even if you think my word unworthy of belief-he should know his own wife,"
 "And he did seem to know her-at the time," she made answer as she went.
 I was about to follow and leave them alone, but Elsa called me to her. "Have you any wish, dear?" I began, as I bent over her chair. "Is there anything you would like me to do?"
 "Oh, mon Dieu! but yes, I have wish but no, you cannot give me my wish. 1 wish to be just like other women. Oh, it is so hard to want to to be different. Oh, que .je suis mal- heureusel" and she cast herself weep ing into her husbands arms.
 "You will leave us now, Miss Thompson" he said to me hoarsely. "And," extending one hand to me, "believe me, I am very grateful to you. 1 know how you have tended Elsa. am glad she has taken to you. Be all you can to her." He spoke brokenly and as if with difficulty.
 I bowed my head. I could not trust my voice, I was so strangely moved.
 AS I went out heard Carls child ish treble saying these words:
 "My father, is she to know the se- cret, too?"
 made my way to the apartment l shared with my niece, I found her at the door of the room in converse tion with Mrs. Bruce.
 "What would you conclude if you saw living person in place where she was not, where she could not be?" Rhoda was asking.
 "I shonld conclude that that person was going to die," Mrs. General Bruce answered promptly.
 The words fell like knell upon my heart. Car's words "but we shall soon die-mamma and I shall die to- gether," Elsa's strange sleep, her hus- bands unusual emotion, all filled my mind with a tumult of conflicting conjecture.
 The following evening, table dhote being over, several of us, including the Coninghams, were outside the ho- tel watching the sun in his royal de- scent behind the mountain range. Il never remembered more beautiful sunset-except one; and it may be that the clasp of hand now cold made the difference. How boldly the Matterhorn stood out against the rosy gold of the sky! How lovingly the soft flush of light fingered about the summits, as if 10th to leave it!
 "The mountain will loom the more darkly from this memory when the sun is gone," think to myself. "Alas that suns should rise in this life only to set!"
 had unconsciously spoken my thought aloud, and MT. Cunningham, who was next to me, replied to it.
 "Still, Miss Thompson, one would not banish the sun. It will surely make the night less long to remember the day that has been In it is the germ of hope that what has been can be again."
 Elsa pressed her head. "Joan and are not like others" she said.
 "A group of guides were also watch ing the sunset and discussing the weather in relation to climbing. Suddenly one of them exclaimed in German: "Herrgott, but that is the lady we saw yesterday all alone upon the mountain p and he plainly indi- cated Elsa.
 Mrs. General Bruce exchanged a meaning glance with the gentleman next her.
 The Coninghams re-entered the ho- tel. l went in, too, and sat alone in the deserted dining room. Presently MT. Cunningham joined me. saw from his manner that he had some- thing important to communicate. Il motioned him to seat near me.
 "Miss Thompson," he began, hesi- tatingly, I have favor to ask of you, and if it should not be in your power to grant it, at least, can rely upon you to pardon the liberty Jake, sec ing it is for Elsa's sake."
 hastened to assure him that noth- ing could give me more pleasure than to be of use to Elsa.
 "But my proposal will strike you as so odd," he went on. "We have known each other SO short time."
 I begged him to consider me an old friend, and at once tell me in what way could serve him.
 "Am right in supposing that you have no ties-that is, no ties to keep you in one place more than another?" | he asked.